Category: South Pacific

On an isolated Vanuatu island, sisters Colinette and Annie Gaviga are completing the final draft of the New Testament in Hano, the language of the Raga people of Pentecost Island.

Over 20 years in the making, the Hano translation project has spanned generations. The Hano translation project began in 1997, when a Hano speaker, Mark Gaviga, approached John Harris, then Bible Society Australia’s Director of Translation, about the possibility of a Hano Bible translation project. John agreed and soon the Hano project began through the Bible Society of the South Pacific with John as the translation consultant.

That year, in the mountain village of Lavusi, Mark Gaviga, with John’s help, began the Hano translation – eating, sleeping and translating in Mark’s one-room house. Everything was handwritten in exercise books. Mark’s young daughters, Colinette and Annie, were curious onlookers. continue reading →

In recent months the world has been experiencing a spate of natural disasters including earthquakes, floods, bush fires and volcanic eruptions.

Some of these have impacted translation projects both in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Vanuatu. In PNG a recent 7.5 magnitude earthquake destroyed two translation centres. And in Vanuatu, a volcanic eruption twice derailed the launch of the newly translated Havakinau New Testament. But despite it all, God’s Word endures… continue reading →

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we were recently able to give away 750 Tongan New Testaments to replace those lost in Cyclone Gita earlier this year.

Tongan children reading their new Bible

The Taulua Bibles (Tongan and English diglot) were distributed to communites affected by the cyclone by Bible Society of the South Pacific, who initiated the project. Some of the Bibles were given to The Holy Immaculate Conception of Mary Primary School in Ma’ufanga, Tonga, where students are allowed to study the Bible as part of the curriculum. continue reading →

Two volcanic eruptions couldn’t stop the launch of the revised Havakinau New Testament, which is now serving an unexpected purpose.

It’s bringing hope to Havakinauspeaking Christians in Vanuatu as they begin the process of rebuilding their lives and homes on other islands following the volcanic eruptions of Monaro Voui on the island of Ambae. continue reading →